title: Variations in erythropoiesis throughout a lifetime. Studies in a high-leukaemic mouse strain, the AKR/O strain, and a non-leukaemic strain, the WLO strain.
abstract: We have studied the development of some haematological variables: erythropoiesis stimulating factor(s) (ESF), investigated with an in vitro cell culture assay; and the content of bone marrow and spleen erythroid colony forming unit(s) (CFU-E) and erythroid burst forming unit(s) (BFU-E) throughout the lifetime of 2 different mouse strains: the high-leukaemic, retrovirus infected AKR/O strain, and the non-leukaemic WLO strain. During the recovery phase of the postnatal anaemia, a peak in plasma ESF occurs in both strains. In young adult mice of both strains another peak in plasma ESF occurs at 70-110 days of age, associated with an increased number of bone marrow CFU-E, in a period when packed cell volume (PCV) remains stable. As the animals grow older PCV decreases, whereas plasma ESF and bone marrow CFU-E concentration increase. These results, together with in vitro dose-response studies, suggest reduced sensitivity to erythropoietin (Epo) of the ageing erythron. Throughout, the AKR/O strain has higher levels of plasma ESF and bone marrow CFU-E concentrations than the WLO strain, indicating both a reduced Epo responsiveness and some degree of ineffective erythropoiesis in the AKR/O strain. At all ages the AKR/O strain has a high concentration of Epo independent bone marrow CFU-E, possibly caused by the virus infection of precursor cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hellebostad
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sanengen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halvorsen
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D015672:Erythroid Precursor Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin